Junk food adverts before the 9pm watershed (the time when TV programs which might be unsuitable for children can be broadcast) will be banned on TV and online.

Shops will also no longer be allowed to push “buy one get one free” deals on unhealthy foods as the government tries to combat obesity in a country where a third of children and almost two-thirds of adults are above a healthy weight, according to government and NHS data.

Supermarkets and shops will also not be allowed to display sweets and chocolates at checkouts as part of a national crackdown on obesity.

The National Health Service (NHS) will also make more weight management services available through the use of smartphone apps to encourage healthy lifestyles and weight management.

It comes after Public Health England (PHE) found that being overweight or obese makes people more vulnerable to serious illness or death from COVID-19.

Johnson has said that his own weight played a part in how badly he suffered from COVID-19.

Outlining his new obesity strategy, the prime minister said: “Losing weight is hard but with some small changes we can all feel fitter and healthier.

“If we all do our bit, we can reduce our health risks and protect ourselves against coronavirus – as well as taking pressure off the NHS.”

Dr. Alison Tedstone, Chief Nutritionist at PHE, said the prime minister’s plans will help save lives.

She said: “These plans are ambitious and rightly so. Tackling obesity will help prevent serious illness and save lives.

“The main reason we put on weight is because of what we eat and drink, but being more active is important too. Making healthier choices easier and fairer for everyone, and ensuring the right support is there for those who need it, is critical in tackling obesity.”

According to the latest figures from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 42.4 percent of adults in the U.S. are obese and for children and adolescents aged 2-19 years, the prevalence of obesity is at 18.5 percent.

Federal, state and local governments have launched a number of initiatives to tackle obesity.

On the federal level, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants and Children Program(WIC) and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) as well as the Healthy Food Financing Initiative are among measures to tackle the problem.

The SNAP program helps provides food-purchasing assistance to those on low-incomes so they can supplement their diets with nutritional food, while the WIC provides federal grants to states for supplemental foods as well as nutrition education for low- income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women.

Trump has previously been criticized for freezing regulations which Michelle Obama had championed that included cutting sodium and increasing whole grains served in school meals.